Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-02-16

Il. wilson, delivered yesterday III opposl-
ton to the passage of Senate bill No. So:
l said, the other day, when l made motion
to postpone consideration OF this question, that
believed the policy outlined in this bill was q
short-sighted one. When | made motion to-
day, sir to strike out the enacting clause of this
bill, still held that opinion, and hold that
opinion now. The vice of the argument of the
other side, Mr.. President, is that they are mot
willing to eoncede that every question Of inn
portance has two sides to it: and up to the
present time, with the exception of the argu
ment of the Senator from Sacramento we have
listened to nothing but a series of charges
against the opponents of this bill. ask the in
dulgeEce OF this Senate for what believe to be
in accordance with the importance of this sub
ject. very short time, while l advance what,
i'll my opinion, are
MOST CoGENT AND IRRESISTIBLE RE. SONS
Why this bill should not become a law
! will direct the attention of the
Senate, in the first place, Mr.. President,
To what conceive to be the short-sighted policy
of this bill, and then To the disastrous conse
quence which in few years. in my humble
Judgment, will follow from the passage of the
Act. ! then desire to cali the attention of the
Senators present TO the fact that there are no
good and substantial reasons, un9er the present
state of affairs, why-of all individuals or asso-
Citations OF individuals within this State-only
those insurance companies, representing for
eign capital brought into the State of California
for the use of this State, are singled out and an
effort made TO direct them. and to direct them
alone, in what manner they shall or shall not
conduct their business. desire to say, in the
first place, Mr.. President that | attribute TO the
Senator from San Francisco,
NOTHING But HONORABLE MOTIVES
In the introduction of this bill. l believe sir
that he seriously thinks thai this is n beneficial
measure. | believe sir, that his money making
pursuits are so varied, and that his insurance
risks-as the proprietor of lodging house, n
dry goods store, warehouse, lumber yard. II
theater, ship, and of many other important
interests in this State-are so hazardous that
tn men who have given their lives to the con
sideraticn of the question ofiire insurance have
concluded in his case, in some instances, for
their selfinterest and for the interests of the
people of this State-who are vitality interested
in the solyency Of the complnieS in which they
insure-,hat his rate i'll some instances should
be increased, and think for this reason that
the Senator entertains Il prejudice against the
manner of conducting the business of fire in
sarance did hope, sir, that the Senator could
and would look beyond his individual pecuni-
airy interests upon this question. and that
he would calmly consider the fundamental
principles underlying this important subject
and the disastrous consequences which would
inevitably fow from this Act should it, by any
| misfortune 10 the insuring pubic, become
valid law. am very much reminded, by the
conduct OF the Senator from San Francisco on
this question. of the truth of those words which
! Shaks speare placed in the mouth of Brutus
what need we any spur but our own cause
To prick US to redress?''
And yet, sir, l take it that We upon tie floor of
this Senate, are here TO legislate, not in any one
man 5 interest nor in the interest of any asso-
eiat on or associations of men-but we are here
to protect and advance, to foster and perpetu-
att, the best Interests of every man, woman and
child within the State of California and that in
a manner which will be most creditable to all
and Ms everlasting as possible. Now, sir | have
heard the Senator reiterate that he is here act
ing in the interests of the people and that he is
actusted in all his movement, by the love which
| he bears the laboring classes of this community.
| Sir, have heard men talk like that before. In
fact, history furnishes us many examples.
| JULIUS CESAR WAS FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE;
| Cardinal Woosey of England, for many years
posed as the friend and the champion and pro-
tector of the peoples interests, and yet the time
| came wh~n the world recognized the utter
selfishneSs of his character, and this priest of
| God in the aSonizing moments of humility and
disgrace gave utterance to those famous accents
| of despair which begin with the words Fare
| well, q long farewell to all my greatness" l do
not desire by any means to compare the Seua-
| or with Cardinal Woolsey, although like Julius
| Caesar he is General and
| LIKE CARDINAL wooLsEY HE Is AMBITIOUS.
| want only to direct the attent on of the SEN
ate to the fact that life is too short to fritter
| away its important moments, especially when
| great questions are pressing themselves upon us
| III singing our own praises. TIE people of the
State of California have eyes sharper than
needles, and in my opinion they will judge of
| the friendship of any Senator upon this floor
moce by their honest and conscientious actions
| than by their say 50. 1t is an open secret that
the bill is directed particularly against the "a
citic Insurance Union of this State. and it is my
desire now to call your attention to the policy of
| the measure.
CoMPACTs ARE BY NO MEANS NEW.
Associations of fire underwriters, for the pur-
pose of fixing and equalzing rates upon various
kinds of fire hazards; for the purpose of inter
| given lifetime TO the stuGy of this subject only
can do; for the purpose OF protecting the public
who purchase indemnity; from undue competi-
| ton in the remuneration of agents, solicitors
and brokers for the purpose OF employing Off
GERS to superintend the building of safe houses
in order that the fl e risks of the owners thereof
| and of the neigEborS may be small for the pur-
pose of preventing rs far as possible the build
ing of rookeIi.s and fire-traps and for the gem
| eral preservation OF property from fire and
| Water-have existed ever since the existence of
| insurance itself l believe sir that there is no
| State in This Union where there is any insur-
| ance conducted, that there j. not q compact or
agreement or Board of Underwriters. Canada
| has them, British Columbia sees the necessity
| for them. In London and Liverpool and through
| ont all England he merchants of long standing
positively refuse 10 insure their property in any
| insurance company that is not Il member Of
| this compact. In rs far back as 1866, ii YOU will
| take the trouble to look at the history of the
| Insurance Company OF North America, you will
| see that at that time
| NINETEEN GENTLEMEN CONNECTED WITH
| And representing that insurance business. met
| for the purpose Of fixing rates of premiums and
| commi ;sions. The Board of Fire Underwriters
| of the State of New York exist by virtue of a
| charter from the Legislature of that State and
| the Board of UuderwIi' ers of the State of Cali
| iornia have existed for nearly thirty years. sir,
| in q much more crude and beneficial manner
| than at present. This Board has in its power the
| appointment of ire Marshal, whose duty it
| is to watch the construction of buildings ana to
| protect as far as possible the property of the
| city OF San Francisco. The fire patrol system,
| VIII ich has saved so many thousands OF dollars
worth of property from fire and destruction by
water, is also one of the legitimate results of
| this combination and recognized by law.
| THE HISTORY OF THIS TEACHES Us
| That these combinations, compacts il YOU
| please to call them So among men who are en-
! gagged in this class of business are an absolute
| necessity, not only to the preservation of the
business iself, but for the protection of the in
su-er. The Senator from Napa sad a few mo-
| ments ago that one of the results of this com
| pact was that The rates had been increased l
not only deny this. but will produce the figures
| TO prove it before take my seat Let me in the
| first place call your attention to the fact that
| the secure and proper management OF the in
surance bus ness is OF the most vital interest 10
| the men aud women of this State who have in
vested the re suits o. their
| YEARS OF Toll. AND DEPRIVATION
1 In the little houses which cover their heads or
| in the stock of goods by which they earn their
| livelihood. Let me call your attention to the
| fact that ii is most important thing to the men
| and women of this State, who have plodded
their Way Tor yeas and who have invested all
| the returns of their toll and their troubles. i
say, sir, ii is of great importance 10 them that
they should know that when they buy future
contingency they buy something that will in
the future absolutely become their property.
why, sir. when you buy C at yoI know what
the coat Is; you baye it: you know that you can
use IL until 1t wears ont. If it is that cost
great deal of money you know just exactly
what the price of it is, and you expect to get
more use out of it than you do if your coat is
cheap one. Add to the cost of the raw material
the cost of the labor in making the garment
and you have the value of the coat. But, sir,
THIS PRINCIPLE DOES NOT HOLD GOOD
In the business of insurance, because when you
buy policy OF fire insurance, unless there sre
means of 50 conducting that business in the
nies are secured. you do not know what you buy
You buy future contingency, and IN buying
this future contingency the business should BE-
regulated as nearly as possible in such man
ner that you may know the value of what you
buy. 1t seems to me that the men and women
of this State would be only too glad to have
solvent companies with which to deal ard
would be only too glad to purchase their poll
cies of insuran, and to pay a little more there
for. At the Same time
FEELING CONFIDENT THAT THEIR INDEMNITY IS
SECURE
And, sir, deny the charge the Senator from
Napa, that this compact has universally in.
creased the rates of insurance. What is the OBJ
ject of the compact? We hear the Senator ff0m
san francisco say that in The interest of the
people OF the State lie wants to have this COM
pact anuulied and set aside. Why, sir this is
the object of the cumpacts and combinations.
There is rot trade there is not bushes
d